2016 FA Cup final betting tips – routine Red Devils win on the cards

It’s been twenty-six years since Crystal Palace last reached an FA Cup final, with the Eagles famously drawing 3-3 with Manchester United in 1990 before losing the replay 1-0.

Alan Pardew was in the Eagles team for both games and will hope that his Palace team can go one better than last time, although it’s easy to see why the London side are once again underdogs to win the trophy.

Palace enjoyed a bright start to the season although they ended up finishing just five points above the relegation zone, with form dipping badly in 2016 with the exception of FA Cup matches where Palace seemed to raise their game.

En route to the final, they have beaten Watford, Reading, Tottenham, Stoke and Southampton, with Pardew back at an FA Cup final ten years after guiding West Ham to a showdown against Liverpool.

However, it’s a tall order for them to beat a Manchester United side who are simply blessed with more quality all over the pitch, with the Red Devils claiming a 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday.

Louis van Gaal may or may not take charge for the final time, although the players will be highly motivated to claim silverware this term and they have lost just one of their previous eight matches.

The triple attacking threat of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney should reap dividends against a Palace defence that started the season looking stubborn although they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last six.

The teams recently met at Old Trafford where United ran out 2-0 winners in a routine victory, with the Eagles largely short of goals, which could once again be their Achilles heel.

Indeed, another 2-0 victory for Manchester United could be the way to go, with David de Gea very difficult to beat as Everton found in their semi-final clash, needing a Chris Smalling own goal to help them over the line.

De Gea looks likely to leave the club this summer and will want to finish on a high, with this defensive United team hard to break down.